A couple dozen families on Elden Lookout Road were allowed to return to their homes Wednesday afternoon, but residents of other neighborhoods threatened by the Museum Fire remain on alert to leave at a moment’s notice.
Efforts to battle the nearly 1,900-acre blaze were aided by monsoon storms Tuesday, helping crews reach 10% containment. More rain is expected this week.
The Museum Fire incident management team has been relying heavily on airborne fire suppression, as the fire is burning through extremely steep terrain that’s difficult to access.
Although the rain has done much to damper the fire, there is a danger of flooding because the loss of vegetation leaves burned areas ripe for flash floods and heavy flows of ash, mud and debris.
Fire analyst Rob Beery told a packed high school auditorium Tuesday night the fire won’t grow much bigger, thanks to rain in the forecast. But he said there’s no history of fire in the burn area, meaning there’s “really heavy fuel in there.”